| Who are the "partners" in Partners
in Annual Giving? |
| Partners are alumni, parents, faculty, staff and other friends of the college who contribute to the future of St. Olaf through annual gifts. When you donate to Partners in Annual Giving, you'll see the value of your individual donation compounded by those of your fellow "partners."
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| Why is it important to give to St. Olaf's annual fund? |
| Partners in Annual Giving is unique in that your gift is unrestricted, which means it is used to meet a wide variety of vital needs including financial aid, library resources, faculty salaries and student-faculty research. This past year, unrestricted funds also gave us the flexibility to support important one-time initiatives, including the renovations to Boe Memorial Chapel.
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| Does any portion of my Partners gift
support the endowment? |
No. Partners funds are spent in the current fiscal
year to meet current needs and priorities. Endowment
funds provide long-term stability for the college,
although we do use a portion of the earnings from the
endowment each year for annual expenses.
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| I can't afford to give a lot of money. Will my
small gift make any difference to the college? |
| Absolutely! In 2007, half of all Partners gifts were less than $100, but each contributed to the annual fund's grand total of $3.6 million.
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| Does the percentage of alumni giving matter? |
| Yes. The number of alumni who give definitely has an impact on St. Olaf's ranking, ability to secure grants, and attractiveness to students, graduate schools, and employers. Many academic-granting and college-ranking organizations, including the increasingly influential U.S. News & World Report magazine, regard the percentage of alumni who give as an indication of alumni satisfaction. What's more, a high giving rate may influence whether a student chooses to attend St. Olaf and can increase the perceived value of a St. Olaf degree among employers and graduate schools.
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| Why does Partners ask new graduates to
contribute when they're not yet established? |
We understand that many recent graduates are trying
to pay off loans and that first jobs rarely offer top salaries.
We don't ask that they give a lot, but we do encourage
young Oles to get in the habit of giving and to continue the
St.Olaf alumni tradition of helping current students receive
a meaningful, values-based education.Each year the gap
between tuition and the actual cost of a St. Olaf education
widens. In 2006–07 the gap was $7,000 per student.
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| Can I designate how my contribution will benefit St.Olaf? |
Of course. We still encourage you to contribute a portion of your gift to the annual fund so it can be counted for your class participation.
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